The Islamabad police have arrested several prominent leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) after violations of standard operating procedures (SOPs) during a rally in the Sangjani area of the capital and failure to adhere to the deadline for concluding the event.
The arrests occurred late Monday night, with key figures like PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar, Sher Afzal Marwat, Shoaib Shaheen, Zain Qureshi, Sheikh Waqas Akram, and 12 other PTI members taken into custody. Marwat was detained while returning from a National Assembly session, and Shoaib Shaheen was arrested from his home. Barrister Gohar Ali Khan was apprehended outside the Parliament House in a coordinated operation, and Marwat’s private security guard was also arrested for allegedly resisting police. The arrests took place at and near the Parliament House.
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Other PTI members arrested included MNA Maulana Naseem Shah, Aamir Dogar, Owais, Ahmad Chattha, Syed Shah Ahad, Yousuf Khan, and Zubair Khan, an MNA representing South Waziristan, who was detained shortly after leaving the Parliament House. Authorities sealed off Islamabad’s Red Zone, raising concerns about further arrests of PTI leaders. Police linked these arrests to an FIR filed following the Sangjani rally, and additional arrests, including Omar Ayub and Zartaj Gul, were anticipated.
Law enforcement cited charges including non-compliance with rally rules, clashes with police, and delivering anti-state speeches. The arrested members were transferred to the Secretariat Police Station and will appear in court for remand. PTI senior leader Salman Akram Raja criticized the arrests, saying they violated parliamentary sanctity and emphasized the public’s dissatisfaction with the incident.
The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) condemned the arrests of Barrister Gohar, Shoaib Shaheen, and Sher Afzal Marwat, all of whom are Supreme Court advocates and SCBA members. The association called for their immediate release, deeming the arrests politically motivated and a violation of free speech. The SCBA warned of a nationwide protest if the lawyers are not released promptly.
In Rawalpindi, police raided the homes of PTI leaders Raja Basharat and Shahryar Riaz but were unable to apprehend either.
Sources from the National Assembly speaker’s office stated that the MNAs’ arrests were conducted following rules and with the speaker’s consent. A copy of the FIR detailing the charges related to SOP violations during the Sangjani rally was sent to the speaker’s office. Speaker Ayaz Sadiq had reportedly prohibited arrests within the parliament premises, but the police informed him of the allegations against the arrested members.
